The Konrads
Group Members: Neville Wills (lead gtr), Alan Dodds (gtr), Dave Crook (drums), Roger Ferris (lead vocs), David Jones (aka David Bowie) (sax, vocs), George Underwood (lead vocs), Dave Hadfield (drums), Stella Patton (vocs), Christine Patton (vocs) They made several demos for Decca records circa 1963/4 featuring David Jones. The band released one single in the UK in October 1965 'Baby It's Too Late Now' (Chapman, Burrows) / 'I'm Over You' (Spiro) (CBS 201812). This was recorded without George Underwood and David Jones being in the band. It was produced by Hal Ashley. They also released one single in the USA in December 1966 'I Don't Know How Much' (Neville Willis, Tony Edwards) / 'I Thought Of You Last Night' (Ralph Freed) (Decca 32060). THE KON-RADS #1 (EARLY 1962 - EASTER 1962) 1) Dave Crook drums 2) Neville Wills lead guitar THE KON-RADS #2 (EASTER 1962 - JUNE 1962) 1) Dave Crook drums 2) Neville Wills lead guitar 3) Richard George Underwood lead vocals THE KON-RADS #3 (JUNE 1962) 1) David 'Dave' Crook drums 2) Neville Wills lead guitar 3) George Underwood lead vocals 4) David Robert Hayward Jones tenor sax, lead vocals The West Kent group The Kon-rads were formed in Early 1962 by drummer Dave Crook (b. David Crook) and guitarist Neville Wills (b. Shirley, Kent, UK d. 1981). Just after Easter singer George Underwood (b. Richard George Underwood, 28 January 1947, Bromley, Kent, UK) (ex George and the Dragons, The Hillsiders, The Spitfires) joined the band. Once he was in, he brought along his best friend and sax player David Jones (the future David Bowie) (b. David Robert Hayward Jones, 6 January 1947, 40 Stansfield Road, Brixton, South West London, UK), who joined in June 1962. He had a metal tenor saxophone. Apparently the name The Kon-rads came about whilst they were appearing with popular early 60's singer Jess Conrad (b. Gerald Arthur James, February 24, 1936, Brixton, South West London, UK), who introduced them as 'My Conrads.' The hyphen was removed at Jones' insistence. THE KONRADS #1 (JUNE 1962 - LATE 1962) 1) Dave Crook drums 2) Neville Wills lead guitar 3) George Underwood lead vocals 4) David Jones tenor sax, lead vocals June 16, 1962 Bromley Technical High School, Keston, ENG (David and the Konrads perform a few 'Shadows' numbers during the schools PTA fete. In the Friday June 22nd edition of The Kentish Times, with a headline 'Nearly 4,000 at school fete' - it stated: 'In a continental style cage where one could sip soft drinks, while a group of young instrumentalists called 'The Conrads', (sic) played music on guitars, saxophone and drums') From Late 1962 to Earl 1963 The Konrads rehearsed intensively at St Mary's Church Hall in Bromley, Kent, until they were hounded out after complaints about the noise and forced to move down the road to a damp prefab building. Soon the band played most weekends in small pubs and halls around South East London and Kent, including Bromley, Beckenham, Orpington, all in Kent and Blackheath, South East London. June ?, 1962 Bromley Common Church Hall, Bromley, ENG (Rehearsals. Many rehearsals were held at The Church Hall on Bromley Common. Fans of the band were charged two shillings to watch the performances. The vast majority of the Konrads performances were held at small local venues consisting of youth clubs, dances, church halls and Bar Mitzvah parties) June ?, 1962 Chislehurst Caves, Bromley, ENG November 17, 1962 Cudham Village Hall, Cudham, ENG THE KONRADS #2 (LATE 1962 - JAN 1964) 1) Dave Hadfield drums 2) Neville Wills lead guitar 3) George Underwood lead vocal 4) David Jones (aka Dave Jay) metal tenor sax, lead vocals 5) Roger Ferris lead vocals 6) Christine Patton lead vocals 7) Stella Patton lead vocals 8) Alan Dodds rhythm guitar In Late 1962 Dave Hadfield (b. David Hadfield, 1941, Lancashire, UK) replaced Dave Crook on drums. Hadfield had spent his childhood in South Africa and had returned as a teenager to Cheshunt, Herfordshire, where he attended Cheshunt High School. Among his contemporaries was a guitarist named Harry Webb, better known as singer Cliff Richard (b. Harry Roder Webb, October 14, 1940, The King George Hospital, Victoria Street, Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh State, India). He did a few gigs with Harry Webb. At 16 Hadfield joined the Merchant Navy and become a Fourth Officer on a passanger liner. He retired in Late 1962 and moved to Bromley, Kent to live with his grandmother. Hadfield placed an advert on the noticeboard of Vic Furlong's record shop in Bromley, Surrey, near to Bromley South Station. Furlong supplied a noticeboard where groups looking for members and members looking for groups could offer their services. Hadfield stated in his advertisment that 'ex Cliff Richard drummer' looking for work. With Hadfield joining he became leader of the group. He was several years older than the rest of the band and six years older than David Jones. Hadfield had spent £90 of his £100 savings on a drum kit. The Konrads guitarist Neville Wills, phoned the number given on the advert, which was Hadfield's grandmother's phone number. Wills told Hadfield he belonged to a 'little group' called The Konrads and that they was looking for a drummer. Not long afterwards Hadfield met the rest of the band, Alan Doods, George Underwood and David Jones. Also joining the band at this time were Rocky Shahan on bass guitar (b. Rocky Chaudhari), Roger Ferris, and sisters Christine and Stella Patton (now Gall) all on lead vocals. David Jones changed his surname to 'Dave Jay' because he was inspired by Peter Jay And The Jaywalkers, who according to Jones were only one of two British bands that 'knew anything about saxophones'. The band was also joined by rhythm guitarist Alan Dodds. He went for rehearsals at Wills house and agreed that Hadfield was in. The new drummer did not like George Underwood and got a friend of his to warn Underwood. In the end he was booted out of the band, but he still lent the band his amp. A list containing 58 song titles were drawn up by Hadfield, which included 'In The Mood', 'China Doll', 'The Young Ones' and 'Sweet Little Sixteen'. Jones wrote many compositions aided by guitarist Neville Wills, who used to help him compose the music. 1963 May ?, 1963 Civic Hall, Orpington, ENG May ?, 1963 Ravensbourne Art School, Justin Hall, West Wickham, Bromley, ENG May 18, 1963 Hillsiders Youth Club, Biggin Hill Womens Institute Hall, Westerham, ENG (David sang Joe Brown's 'A Picture Of You' and Bruce Chanel's 'Hey Baby'. George Underwood sang the vocals on 'It's Only Make Believe' and 'A Night At Daddy Gees') May 25, 1963 Bromley Technical High School, Keston, ENG (2 Shows) On Friday, August 30, 1963 The Konrads entered the Decca Studios at Broadhurst Gardens in West Hampstead, North West London, for the first time and cut their only recorded record, which was entitled 'I Never Dreamed'. The song was written by David Jones, Roger Ferris and Alan Dodds, the main vocals were by Roger Ferris, with Jones taking the harmonies. Several acetates were cut by Decca. Drummer David Hadfield said the song concerned an 'air crash'. Soon after this recording, Jones left the band, though the band stayed together playing the club circuit and even toured as the opening act for The Rolling Stones. Jones said he became dissatisfied with The Konrads because of their choice of song repertoire. He wanted to play more blues numbers instead of the pop standards they chose to cover. The Konrads carried on after Jones left. September 21, 1963 Civic Hall, Orpington, ENG (The Konrads minus David) October 24, 1963 West Wickham Halls, Bromley, ENG November 2, 1963 Shirley Parish Hall, Croydon, ENG (supported by The Truebeats) November 21, 1963 Coney Hall Assembly Hall, West Wickham, ENG November 23, 1963 Unknown venue, ENG November 24, 1963 Lewisham Town Hall, London, ENG December 14, 1963 Hillsiders Youth Club, Biggin Hill Womens Institute Hall, Westerham, ENG December 31, 1963 Justin Hall, West Wickham, Bromley, ENG 1964 THE KONRADS #3 (JAN 1964 - ) 1) Dave Hadfield drums 2) Neville Wills lead guitar 3) Roger Ferris lead vocals 4) Christine Patton lead vocals 5) Stella Patton lead vocals 6) Alan Dodds rhythm guitar January 25, 1964 Memorial Hall, Petts Wood, ENG October 24, 1964 Hastings Pier Ballroom, Hastings, ENG (supported by The Silhouettes) Package Tour with The Rolling Stones, The Hollies, Dave Berry and the Cruisers, Goldie and the Gingerbreads, The Checkmates & The Konrads March 5, 1965 Edmonton Regal Theatre, London, ENG March 6, 1965 Empire Theatre, Liverpool, ENG March 7, 1965 Palace Theatre, Manchester, ENG March 8, 1965 Futurist Theatre, Scarborough, ENG (2 shows 6.15 & 8.40) March 9, 1965 Odeon Theatre, Sunderland, ENG March 10, 1965 ABC Theatre, Huddersfield, ENG March 11, 1965 City Hall, Sheffield, ENG March 12, 1965 Trocadero Theatre, Leicester, ENG March 13, 1965 Granada Theatre, Rugby, ENG March 14, 1965 Odeon Theatre, Rochester, ENG March 15, 1965 Odeon Theatre, Guildford, ENG March 16, 1965 Granda Theatre, Greenford, ENG March 17, 1965 Odeon Theatre, Southend-on-Sea, ENG (2 shows 6.30 & 8.45) March 18, 1965 ABC, Romford, ENG (2 shows 6.45 & 9.00)